Digital Edition

Special Sections

Candace Karen Thornton

September 29, 1958 - January 6, 2012

Candace Karen Thornton was born on September 29, 1958 in Giddings, Texas to Martin & Karen Kappler Jr.. She graduated from Lanier High School in 1976 and was united in marriage to Benjamin Thornton on May 21, 1978 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas.

Their marriage was blessed with two children, Shaina & Chase. Candace, along with Candy Biehle, owned and operated Forget Me Not Flowers in Lexington for several years before she received her Bachelors Degree in Education from Southwest Texas University.

She was employed briefly at Elgin High School as a teacher and coach before joining the faculty at Lexington High School. Candace was the only Government and Economics teacher for the Senior Class and was the AP Government and AP Economics teacher and a coach at Lexington for 12 years. As the head softball coach, she led the Lady Eagles to their first ever State Semi Finals. Candace was currently employed with the First Baptist Church in Lexington as their office manager. She was always active in the community and all anyone had to do was ask and she would help in any way she could.

Following the death of their son Chase in 2003, Candace and Bennie established the Chase Thornton Foundation which provided scholarships to area students and also purchased the Lexington ISD baseball scoreboard. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Lexington and was especially involved in the church’s youth program. Candace served as the treasurer of the Lexington Cemetery Association and was a member of the Lee County Ministerial Alliance and the Lexington Chamber of Commerce. She was actively involved in the Lee County Cancer Resource Center and was a model in their annual calendar event. Candace enjoyed shopping, motorcycle riding and collecting unique crosses. She treasured the relationships she had with others and “adopted” many of the kids in the community and treated them as her own.

Candace passed away the afternoon of Friday, January 6, 2012, surrounded by her family, at her home in Lexington.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Martin & Clara Kappler; her father, Martin Kappler Jr. and her son, Chase Thornton.

Candace is survived by her husband, Bennie Thornton of Lexington; her daughter and son-in-law, Shaina & Clint Stamport of Lexington; mother, Karen Charles of Austin; three sisters, Cary Mikan & her husband, Don of Austin, Stacy Cilek & her husband, Ray of Austin and Marchelle Kappler & her partner, Mernel Lovell of Pflugerville; her aunt, Juanita Anderson of Cameron; her cousin, who she thought of more as a sister, Georgeena Arnett & her husband, Mike of Lexington and their children, Katy Carter & her husband, Clay of Lexington and Kenny Mingus & his wife, Heather of Cameron. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Candace were held on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at the First Baptist Church in Lexington with Rev. Gary Roe officiating. Burial followed in the Lexington Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers were Jason Holcomb, J.C. Washington, Kenny Mingus, Clay Carter, Mike Arnett, Hollins Spence, Lanny Ladesma and Larry Ladesma. Mike Anderson, as well as Eddie Rodriguez and Tiffany Evans, who are both currently serving our country overseas in the United States Armed Forces, are considered honorary pallbearers.

Memorials may be made in Candace’s memory to the Lee County Cancer Resource Center, 165 West Austin Street, Giddings, Texas 78942 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 175, Giddings, Texas 78942.